


The End of the Line

by captainamergirl



Category: Saved By the Bell (TV)
Genre: F/M, Kinda anti-Kelly lol, Unpopular pairing that I love, Zack and Leslie get a second chance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 03:57:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12926901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainamergirl/pseuds/captainamergirl
Summary: Kelly decides at the last minute not to marry Zack, after having put off the wedding for almost two years. Zack realizes Kelly is never going to commit and turns to the one woman who has been there for him for so long – Leslie Burke.





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: She’s Not Coming**  
  
 ** _Las Vegas, Nevada_**  
  
“Okay, where is she?” Zack Morris asked in a harsh whisper as he waited at the front of the altar at the Little Elvis Chapel.   
  
Samuel “Screech” Powers, one of his two best men, shrugged. “Maybe she got hungry on the drive up here and stopped for a hotdog. That actually sounds good right about now …” He said, scrunching up his face and rubbing his emaciated stomach. He could stand to put on a few pounds but Zack didn’t give a rat’s right now about that. Rather, he felt like hitting something or someone but resisted.   
  
He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him Kelly wasn’t coming but he tried to ignore it as best as he could. Wasn’t it just two days ago that she was saying how much she looked forward to them finally committing to each other? Hadn’t he wanted to believe it despite witnessing the cloud of doubt and apprehension in her blue eyes?  
  
“She’s going to come, Preppy,” his other best man, A.C. Slater said. “She’s probably just held up at the hotel doing her hair and makeup. You know how finicky women can be.”  
  
“If Jessie was here right now, she’d punch you for that,” Zack said.   
  
“Well she’s not here,” Slater pointed out. “She seems to be missing as well …” Was Zack hearing things or did Slater sound as disappointed about Jessie’s absence as Zack was about Kelly’s?  
  
It didn’t even matter though. Slater could run off with a showgirl for all Zack cared. All he wanted to do was get married to the girl of his dreams, who had been the girl of his _fantasies_ for years and years now. They had had their ups and their really, _really_ downs but they were together now and that’s what mattered. Despite the fact that Kelly had wanted to wait until after college to get married, she had finally acquiesced and was going to marry Zack after all. By the time they returned for their senior year at CU in the fall, they would be living in the married dorms and eating out of Chinese cartons like every other broke couple. Zack was just crazy enough to want all that.  
  
“Are we gonna do this thang or not?” The Elvis impersonator-slash-justice of the peace asked, strumming his guitar absent-mindedly.  
  
“Yeah, we’re going to do this ‘thang’,” Zack said. “The bride is going to show up eventually.”  
  
“Make sure she’s here in the next fifteen minutes or you’re out. I have a few couples out in the foyer waiting for their turn to be hitched.”  
  
Zack waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah …”  
  
Slater was standing at the window, looking out over the parking lot below. “Hey, Preppy. Leslie and Alex are here. So is Lisa … And Jessie …” He gulped, automatically straightening his tie.  
  
“And the bride?” Zack prompted. “Where the heck is she?” He walked – no, _sprinted_ \- over to the window to see the four women who had been so much a part of his life walking towards the building. They were all dressed in matching red strapless dresses, and wearing burgundy high-heels, with their hair pulled back in French twists the way Kelly had asked all of them to.  
  
“They don’t look happy,” Screech observed.  
  
Zack shook his head. “It’s the heat. It’s just the heat …” He was in total denial now. Full on denial. He had to believe Kelly was coming or he was going to feel like the biggest loser ever. And on top of that, it would hurt like heck to lose her.   
  
Zack sprinted down the steps to the women. “Where’s Kelly?” He immediately asked.  
  
The four women looked at each other anxiously and then all at the same time blurted out, “She’s not coming, Zack.”  
  
XoXoXo  
  
Zack was sitting on the curb waiting for his un-wedding party to come out of the chapel so they could get the heck out of dodge. The last thing he wanted was to head back to California now – not when he was supposed to be on his honeymoon – but he also sure as hell didn’t want to be sitting here, looking pathetic because he got stood up at the altar on the biggest day of his life.  
  
His “crew” were inside, all using the bathroom, or claiming to. Zack really knew that none of them had the guts to approach him when this dark rain crowd was brewing over his head. Good - he didn’t need them anyway.  
  
Just then, he felt a soft hand come to rest on his shoulder and for a moment, he was sure it was Kelly. She had returned to say she was sorry and it was all a big mix-up. He pictured telling her off and stomping away in retaliation though, forcing her to fight for him for once, instead of the other way around.  
  
“Zack,” she said and he knew it wasn’t Kelly.  
  
“Go away,” Zack said.   
  
“I’m not leaving you like this,” Leslie said, flopping down on the curb beside him, seemingly uncaring about messing up her dress the way Kelly would have.  
  
“What - did you all draw straws to see which one of you ended up having to confront me?” He asked snarkily.  
  
“It was toothpicks actually,” she answered and smiled so he knew she was joking.  
  
But he didn’t feel like joking or even talking at all. He bristled as Leslie lightly touched his arm in a gesture of comfort. Didn’t she know he didn’t want to be comforted like he was some pathetic six-year-old who had gotten knocked down in the school yard by the fourth grade bully?  
  
“Just go away,” he barked.  
  
“Come on, Zack, don’t be like this,” Leslie said.   
  
“Don’t be like what, Leslie – angry, pissed, and mad as hell?”  
  
Leslie shook her head. “No, you’re entitled to all of that. You’re entitled to feel hurt and abandoned, but don’t push away your friends who care about you.”  
  
“Too bad Kelly doesn’t care,” Zack snapped.  
  
“That’s not true, Zack. She really does … it’s just … She’s not ready. We’re still in college, she’s going to med school next year, and it’s going to be stressful …”  
  
“Whatever, Leslie, just go away. I won’t ask you again,” Zack shouted.  
  
“Friends don’t let friends stew alone,” Leslie said, refusing to budge from his side.  
  
Zack practically growled at her. “And some friends know when to stop beating a dead horse, Leslie.” He then sprung to his feet and stomped off into the distance, towards the dusty main road. Leslie watched in shock as Zack yanked off his suit jacket, hooked his thumb over his shoulder, and waited for some friendly serial killer to drive by and pick up his angry, hitchhiking self.  
  
She considered running after him but resisted. He wanted to be alone and he was going to keep pushing her away like he always did. If he didn’t want to be comforted, then why the hell should she even try?


	2. Chapter 2

** Chapter 2: The Past Should Stay in the Past **   
  
“So do you think Zack got axed by some serial killer?” Screech asked as he, Leslie, Alex and Slater all piled out of their rental car, a Buick LeSabre which Slater had lamented looked like an old “fogies’” car for a good twenty minutes when the people at the rental service showed it to him.   
  
“More than likely,” Alex said. “I’ll bet the driver appeared deceptively innocent but lurking beneath his disguise of mental stability is a true psychopath …”   
  
Leslie sighed. "Will you two quit it? It’s our last night in Vegas and I intend to have some fun.”   
  
Three pairs of eyes all stared at her in obvious surprise.  _“What?”_ she asked. “I know how to have fun. I am not going to let Zack’s bad attitude spoil what should be a great vacation.”   
  
“It's not that, Leslie. We just didn’t think a stuffed shirt like you actually knew how to have fun or cut loose,” Screech said.   
  
“Well, then I’ll show you. Tonight I will be the life of the party.”   
  
Alex grinned. “You have to try mighty hard to show me up, Miss Burke. Everything knows that I am  _la vida de la fiesta._ Which in translation means –“   
  
“Yeah, yeah,” Slater said. “Let’s just go inside instead of standing around the parking lot looking like a bunch of idiots.”   
  
Alex nodded and grabbed Slater’s hand as they moved forward. Leslie hovered back a minute and then followed them inside the Red Dragon Casino where they had all rented rooms on the tenth floor. Zach’s room wasn’t on the same floor as Zack had shelled out every last penny he owned to rent the honeymoon suite for himself and Kelly to spend the night.   
  
But there would be no honeymoon. How do you have a honeymoon if no wedding has taken place? Leslie found herself feeling more than a tad angry at Kelly for pulling this stunt. Why hadn’t she spoken to Zack, telling him how unsure she was about getting married before he drove all the way to Vegas? Before he stood at the altar waiting for her to walk in looking like a goddess in her wedding dress only to hear from their good friends that she wasn’t coming? If Kelly cared for him at all, couldn’t she have let him down gently, instead of humiliating him?   
  
_Shake it off, Les,_ she told herself.  _Zack and Kelly have to deal with this on their own without your interference. All you can do is be a good friend to them – even though Zack is hurting too much to want friends around now._   
  
She sighed as Alex kissed Slater, blocking the elevator banks. “Ahem,” she coughed loudly.   
  
“Oh, sorry,” Alex said. “But what can I say? I’m irresistible to the opposite sex.”   
  
“Definitely,” Slater agreed, looking slightly uncomfortable. “I’m going to head to the craps table right now. You two get all gussied up or whatever women do and meet Screech and me there.”   
  
“Okay, darling,” Alex said dramatically giving Slater another long, deep kiss. They watched as he and Screech headed off in the opposite direction and then pushed the button to call the elevator.   
  
“I can’t wait to get these heels off,” Leslie said as they waited for the next elevator.   
  
“Ditto,” Alex said. “I’m getting bunions.”   
  
Leslie chuckled a little. Then the doors slid open and they climbed onto the elevator. They leaned against the back railing and then Alex turned to Leslie and asked, “Are Jessie and Lisa coming to the casino tonight?”   
  
“I’m not sure. Why?”   
  
“No reason,” Alex said, hemming and hawing.   
  
Leslie waited patiently for the outburst that was sure to come. She just wasn’t expecting Alex to throw herself at her, grasping her around the neck and flailing about in distress.   
  
Leslie sighed. “Okay. What’s this all about?”   
  
“It’s Slater," Alex answered, not relinquishing her hold on Leslie.   
  
“Uh huh …”   
  
“And Jessie.”   
  
“Uh huh …” Leslie said again.   
  
“And, it’s that I think maybe they still want each other,” Alex shouted, tears welling in her eyes.   
  
Leslie shook her head. “Wow. Where did that come from?”   
  
“I just have a feeling, Leslie. I have a sixth sense about these things.”   
  
“Well, your sixth sense is going in completely the wrong direction this time. You and Slater have been together for almost three years. He is not going to end it for some high school ex-girlfriend.”   
  
“You think so?” Alex asked, sniffling loudly and wiping her runny nose on the back of her hand.   
  
“I know so,” Leslie said. “I mean, high school was a lifetime away. I had boyfriends then, too, but I can’t think of one I would go out with again.”   
  
“Not even one?” Alex asked.   
  
“Nope.”   
  
“But look at Zack and Kelly. They were high school sweethearts …”   
  
Leslie nodded. “And look how that turned out,” she said pointedly.   
  
“You’re right. I am not going to worry. Not at all,” Alex said. “I’ll keep a stiff upper lip.” She jutted out her lips pointedly and Leslie smiled a little.   
  
“The past is the past,” Leslie said. “That’s where it should stay.”   
  
XoXoXo   
  
Leslie and Alex changed into more comfortable clothes and shoes and headed down to the casino. Alex wanted to bring three hundred dollars to gamble with but Leslie convinced her not to blow her money. “Just take $75,” Leslie had said.   
  
Alex had reluctantly agreed and put most of her money back in her suitcase. They reached the casino and immediately saw two unexpected sights. For one, Jessie was sitting on a stool next to Slater and they were laughing and having a grand old time. It was as if Alex had never existed at all.   
  
The second sight was even more unexpected. Zack was shooting pool at the billiards table with a bevy of beautiful women flanked on either side of him.


	3. Chapter 3

** Chapter 3: Games, Without the Fun **  
  
“So this is … interesting,” Alex said as she and Leslie walked into the casino.  
  
“To say the least,” Leslie said. She couldn’t decide what surprised her more – the sight of Slater and his old girlfriend carrying on like they were back in high school, Zack flanked by a bunch of scantily clad bimbettes, or Screech seeming to be raking in tons of coins at the slot machines …  
  
However, Leslie was determined to ignore Zack’s behavior as much as possible. He was just acting out of grief and embarrassment and as much as she hated to see him parading around this way, she didn’t think she could stop him. She wasn’t his mother. That wasn’t her job.  
  
Besides, at the moment Alex looked like she could use a shoulder to lean on. Or cry on, as the case were.  
  
Alex turned to Leslie. “Am I pretty?”  
  
“Of course you are,” Leslie replied like it should be obvious.  
  
“Am I prettier than her?” Alex asked, gesturing to Jessie.  
  
Leslie nodded. “Yes, and way more interesting too,” she said, even though she knew next to nothing about Slater’s old girlfriend. He had rarely ever mentioned her and if he did, it was in passing. Leslie, herself, had only talked briefly to Jessie when Kelly had called them at the casino to tell them she wasn’t coming to her own wedding.  
  
“Then why hasn’t Slater even noticed me walk into the room?” Alex asked, another fresh batch of tears filling her eyes.  
  
“He’s – uh – focusing on his game, I guess,” Leslie said. “Why don’t we go over and say ‘hi’ to them?”  
  
“I don’t want to say ‘hi’ to her. I want to ship her off to Timbuktu,” Alex grumbled.  
  
“Just come on, Alex. Act strong and brave and show that you are more than enough woman for A.C.”  
  
“You’re right!” Alex crowed, pumping her fist in the air. “I am woman – hear me roar!”  
  
“Roar!” Leslie chimed in half-heartedly, flashing a quick glance in Zack’s direction before turning back to Alex. “Now come on - let’s go over there and talk to them.”  
  
Alex nodded. “Okay, but what about Zack? He can’t be alone right now.”  
  
“He’s not alone, Alex. There are about half a dozen women at least watching him grease his stick.”  
  
Alex chuckled. “That sounded dirty.”  
  
Leslie rolled her eyes. “Just move,” she said, giving Alex a light shove forward.  
  
They walked over to Slater and Alex literally had to tap his arm before he noticed them standing just two feet away. He jumped in his seat, looking almost guilty like he had been caught doing something he shouldn’t have been doing.  
  
“Hey, ladies,” he said, gulping deeply. “You uh … know Jessie right?”  
  
“Sure,” Alex said. She positioned herself between Slater and Jessie. “We know her but we’d love to know more,” she said, addressing “the other woman” now. “So, Jessie, how tall are you? Do you get good grades in school? Do you have a boyfriend?”  
  
Jessie looked at Alex like she was from another planet for a moment and then smiled. “5'11; I’d say so, and no. In that order.”  
  
Leslie watched Alex’s face fall even further if possible. “Well I’m sure you’ll find that special someone,” Leslie piped up, feeling more than a little foolish but trying to alleviate some of her best friend’s anxiety.  
  
“I’m sure,” Jessie said quietly, glancing at Slater. “Well, anyway, would you two like to join Slater in a game of black jack?”  
  
“Join him? You’re not playing?” Leslie asked.  
  
“I don’t believe in gambling,” Jessie answered immediately. “I believe it’s a farce. A trap for poor people to become more financially unstable, and have their big dreams crushed indefinitely. I believe …”  
  
“Okay, we get it,” Alex said, waving her hand. “Well don’t mind if Leslie and I play. We’re not afraid and we’re sure we can whoop Slater’s butt, right, Les?”  
  
“Definitely,” Leslie chimed in.  
  
Slater raised an eyebrow. “No girl has ever beaten me at poker and none ever will.”  
  
“What a sexist attitude,” Jessie said with a smirk. “I just might have to take you up on that bet.”  
  
Leslie rolled her eyes and said pointedly, “What about your ‘beliefs’?”  
  
Jessie smiled like she was talking to a slow five-year-old. “I could never take a challenge sitting down.”  
  
“Well –“ Alex said, leaning heavily on Slater – “AC is fibbing a bit here. You see, Freshman year we – Leslie, me and Kelly – all played poker one night in the dorm with the guys and I do believe we whooped Slater’s and the other guys’ butts royally.”  
  
“Alex!” Slater practically shouted, looking suddenly ashamed. “Jeez. Rat me out already.”  
  
Alex frowned. “I was just being honest, Slater.”  
  
“Honesty is the best policy,” Jessie said. “At least I believe that …” She leaned across Alex and touched Slater’s outstretched hand. “There is no shame in losing to a woman, Slater.”  
  
She chuckled, whereas as Alex and Leslie just rolled their eyes. “Well, should we play and stop yammering like school girls?” Slater asked impatiently.  
  
Jessie pretended to pout. “I resent that.”  
  
Alex coughed. “I say we make this interesting,”  
  
Slater groaned. “What do you have in mind?”  
  
“Whoever loses has to dress up in a Chicken suit and parade around shouting ‘CU rocks!’ at the top of their lungs. Just like my snuggle bear, Slater, did once for me Freshman year when he was trying to kiss up to me after we had a fight.”  
  
Slater flushed bright red in the face and shook free of Alex’s grip. “Let’s just play,” he snarled, avoiding looking at Jessie who was looking at him like she couldn’t believe how far the mighty had fallen.  
  
XoXoXo  
  
One hour into the game and Jessie and Slater were beating the pants off of Alex and Leslie. “I fold,” Leslie said. “Besides, I only have one dollar left and some peanuts.”  
  
“Yeah, give up now, you can’t beat us,” Slater crowed. Somewhere along the line, they had all partnered up in the game. Leslie and Alex were paired up, and of course, Jessie and Slater were because they were “old friends and it would be fun”.  
  
Alex looked extremely devastated by the whole turn of events and Leslie was sure she was about to cry. “Alex, what do you say we head up to our room and order some hot fudge sundaes and watch Lifetime?” Leslie suggested.  
  
Alex shook her head and sniffled a bit. “No, I’d rather stay with Slater if that’s okay.”  
  
Slater looked up. "Oh, its okay, Alex, you can go. Jessie and I are probably going to stay down here for awhile and you’ll be bored without Leslie.”  
  
“Yeah I'll be so bored watching my boyfriend w - with –“ Alex couldn’t finish her sentence and immediately scurried away from the table in a bout of tears.  
  
Leslie immediately jumped to her feet. “Nice going, Slater,” she snapped at him, hating to see his insensitivity to her best friend’s feelings. People hurting people they claimed to care about seemed to be a catching disease. It was going around like the plague these days.  
  
“Hey, what did I do?” Slater demanded.  
  
“Acted like a Grade ‘A’ Jerk. I hoped you would be better than that, but I guess I was wrong,” Leslie said, turning on her heel and heading after Alex.  
  
Leslie ran after Alex, but Alex slipped inside the elevator and the door slid shut before Leslie could reach her. Leslie sighed. Could this night get any worse?  
  
“Leslie, hey, Leslie!” A familiar voice cooed. She looked up to see Zack coming towards her with either of his arms hooked around the waist of two drop dead gorgeous redheads.  
  
Evidently it could get worse. Lots worse.  
  
Her stomach shifted involuntarily and she thought she might gag up the peanuts and apple juice she had downed during the black jack game from hell.  
  
“Hey,” Leslie said quietly, trying to avoid looking at the way the women were draped all over Zach, practically bursting out of their tops with their obviously fake boobs.  
  
“Meet Kiki and Tiffani. They’re twins,” he said, in a way that sounded as if he had won the lottery.  
  
“I can see that,” Leslie said, jamming her finger down on the elevator button hoping to make it come down faster somehow.  
  
“There’s a hot tub in my suite and the girls wanted to try it out,” Zack went on like he didn’t notice the look of devastation on Leslie’s face.  
  
Leslie felt she had to say something to Zack then. It was supposed to be his wedding night; he had chosen that room for him and his bride-to-be. It wouldn’t be right somehow for him to sully it and she didn’t want him to regret his actions in the morning, which she thought he might. Leslie’s Grammy had always said things were darkest before the dawn and Leslie hoped she was right in this case.  
  
“Zack, can I talk to you for a minute?” Leslie asked.  
  
The twin boobmiesters, as Leslie had quickly dubbed them in her head, glared at her as if she were wasting their time. _Oh well,_ Leslie thought. _Too bad. This is important._  
  
“Leslie, can it wait?” Zack asked with a wide grin that didn’t quite meet his familiar blue eyes.  
  
“No, it can’t,” Leslie said, sounding more confidant and commanding than she actually felt.  
  
Zack rolled his eyes. “Okay, ladies, here’s my room key. Turn on the jets and get comfortable. I’ll be up in no more than five.”  
  
Again, Leslie’s stomach heaved and she watched as the boobmiester twins sauntered off arm in arm and onto the elevator Leslie herself had been waiting for.  
  
Zack turned to Leslie. “Talk fast please. Those twins are hot and I don’t want to keep them waiting.”  
  
“Well, Zack, maybe you should.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“You heard me. Maybe you should send them back to wherever they came from and think about what you’re doing.”  
  
“What am I doing?” Zack asked, crossing his arms defiantly. “Besides trying to have a good time.”  
  
“No, you’re trying to cover up your pain and sadness over Kelly not showing up for your wedding by turning into your old skirt-chasing self, but it’s not you. Not anymore. And it’s not going to help anything.”  
  
Zack frowned deeply. “You are so far off base, Leslie. I am already over Kelly. I am moving on. The train has zoomed away from the station and I don’t care about her anymore.”  
  
“You say that, but I don’t believe you.”  
  
“I don’t care what you believe, Leslie,” he said and then lightly pushing her aside, he headed for the bank of elevators.  
  
“You can’t pretend what happened today didn’t affect you, Zack,” she called after him in a soft voice. “You can’t hide your devastation by playing sex games with two bimbos in your honeymoon suite.”  
  
Zack glared at her. “It's not my honeymoon suite, Leslie. As you so nicely pointed out, I didn’t get married today, so it’s just a room like every other one in this stupid casino. Now get out of my business. Take your righteous indignation and just stuff it!”  
  
With that, Zack got onto the elevator and let the doors slam shut before Leslie could follow him. She wouldn’t want to follow him anyway. She felt heartbroken and devastated by Zack’s words. She knew he was hurting, but he had never talked like that to her before and it cut her like a thousand little knives to her soul.  
  
Tears swam in her eyes and she bit her lip to hold them back. This vacation was turning into the biggest disaster ever.


End file.
